Those Little Moments
by RukiaRae
Summary: AU stand-alone songfics...latest chapter is to 'Marry Me' by Train...Will Richard get the courage to approach Rachael after a chance meeting at a diner? CHAPTER 4 NOW UP
1. Chapter 1

**Just a cute story I thought of at 4 am...I might make it into a series of unrelated AU songfics, not sure yet...Enjoy! This is to the song Thank-You by Dido...I do not own the song or the Teen Titans.**

**The Best Day  
**

Rachel could hear her alarm clock buzzing in the background. She groaned, her head ached from her massive hangover. Rachel smirked as she recalled her best friends Jessica and Kori who practically dragged her to the bar last night. Her friends claimed she needed to "live a little" every once and a while. So, unfortunately for Rachel, this meant weekly activities with her friends, like midnight movie marathons (of chick flicks, which were just pure torture), trips to the bars, and just talking about the week over bowls of assorted snacks and candy.

Rachel rolled over, ignoring the cries of her alarm clock. _Five more minutes _she silently pleaded. But it was no use. Rachel got out of bed to shut off her alarm clock (which was on the other side of her bedroom so she'd be forced out of bed to shut it up). She then shuffled slowly to the kitchen and made a warm batch of tea and found a granola bar to eat for breakfast. As she sat at the table she could feel her eyes slowly droop and she rested her head on the table for a few minutes.

_My tea's gone cold_

_I'm wondering why_

_I got out of bed at all_

Rachel woke with a jolt, knocking her granola bar on the floor and almost spilling her tea. She dashed into the kitchen and looked at the time on the microwave. It read 7:50. _Shit, I was asleep for over a half an hour! I need to be at work in 10 minutes! _

Rachel was a writer for one of the world's most renowned fashion magazines and, luckily, her small New York flat was just a five minute walk to work. But she still had to get ready…and it was raining heavily. Which meant Rachel would have to get a cab and wait in traffic to show up to work. She once tried to run to work in the rain with a large umbrella, but she still looked like an abandoned puppy, pathetic and drenched in water.

_The morning rain _

_Clouds up my window,_

_And I can't see at all_

Rachel groaned. She knew she was going to get "the lecture" from her boss about showing up on time. Rachel headed for her bathroom shower and began to get ready for the day. She tried to hurry up so that she could salvage her tardiness with a well planned excuse, like 'traffic was even worse today because of the bad weather, sorry boss.' However, to do this, she still needed to be there relatively soon.

_And even if I could, _

_It'd all be grey _

_But your picture on my wall,_

Rachel didn't have balance or coordination. Especially when she was rushing. So it came as no surprise when Rachel felt the sting of a bruise forming on her foot. She had knocked over one of her framed pictures and it hit the center of her foot, hard. She winced as she picked up the frame and turned it around to look at the offending picture. She briefly contemplated smashing the frame or burning the picture to get back at it, but all of these thoughts were dismissed from her mind when she saw which picture it was.

It was the one she had taken with her best friend, Richard, at Disneyworld. His father, Bruce, had bought the tickets for Richard's younger brother, Tim's, birthday. Tim was allowed to bring along a friend as was Richard (considering Bruce wasn't much fun at theme parks anymore). Normally she wouldn't be caught dead at Disneyland, but _he _asked. And, well, he was the one person she couldn't really say no to.

_It reminds me_

_That it's not so bad,_

_It's not so bad_

She smiled remembering the fun she had there. She carefully placed the picture back on her nightstand, glad it wasn't damaged by the fall- even if she was. Rachel continued to get ready as quickly as possible (considering her hangover, she thought she was doing quite well), hoping that she could take the bus instead of have to pay for an expensive taxi.

_I drank too much last _

_Night, got bills to pay_

_My head just feels in pain_

Rachel ignored her throbbing head as she hurried to the bus station, which thankfully, was just around the block. She got there later than anticipated because she had to sidestep all the puddles. It was days like these where she wished she had invested in knee-length skirts or was dorky enough to wear flood pants on a daily basis. Rachel stood at the bus stop for nearly five minutes before spotting someone else waiting too.

"How long until the next bus arrives?" Rachel politely asked.

"About 30 minutes, I'd say," answered the disgruntled civilian.

Rachel cursed under her breath. And then realized that she had forgotten her cell phone upstairs in her apartment. _Fuck my life _she thought bitterly.

_I missed the bus and_

_There'll be hell today,_

_I'm late for work again_

Rachel hated the miscreants she was forced to work with. They were always gossiping, sometimes- actually often- about her. She didn't exactly fit in with the others that worked there. They were actually concerned about the Hollywood drama and making into 'cutting edge' pieces.

Rachel liked writing and journalism, she just didn't find the celebrity drama to be interesting. So naturally, she was ostracized. Tara was the worst, however. Most of the employees just ignored her, and when they did talk about her, it was behind her back. But not with Tara. Tara made snide remarks to and about Rachel even when she was there. Tara enjoyed tearing Rachel down. And Rachel, athough she was usually of the mindset that people should say things to her face, was willing to make an exception with Tara. She just wanted the girl to shut up. Or get run over. Or both.

_And even if I'm there, they'll_

_All imply_

_That I might not last the_

_Day _

Rachel found it funny and ironic that she was dying to get to a place she hated. But she still tried to wave down any taxi she could, so far with no luck.

Then, one of the taxis decided to stop to let someone out. Rachel rushed to the taxi, intending to hop in after the man got out. Much to her surprise, the man who got out was….

"Richard?"

_And then you call me,_

_And it's not so bad, _

_It's not so bad and_

She had not expected to see him. She looked at him and silently admired how she could still see the outline of his chiseled figure in his simple outfit of a red t-shirt and faded jeans. _I did not just think that _she thought.

He looked just as stunned as she felt. After a brief moment he greeted her with "Hey Rae." He grinned and gave her a hug.

Then his face showed surprise before he cautiously asked, "Not to pry but…," he checked his watch, "its 8:40, shouldn't you be at work?"

Rachel grunted a reply.

He just laughed, earning a death glare from Rachel.

"Look Richard," she said in an icy tone, "I've had a hellish morning, I'm not in the mood, I'm really not."

Richard's expression softened. She then noticed an impish look cross his face.

"Skip work today. We could hang out," he suggested

"If I skip, I'll probably be fired. Ms. Rouge already hates me, you know that…" Rachel trailed off, but Richard could tell that she didn't really want to go.

"Do you really care that much if your fired?" he asked, "Besides, hanging out with me would be more funnnn." This he added in a sing-song voice that made Rachel chuckle.

She sighed. "Alright, alright. But first I'm going home to get in comfortable clothes," she answered, now smiling.

He laughed. "Did you really have to sigh before saying that?" he playfully asked. Rachel just rolled her eyes and turned to walk to her apartment to hide her blush.

_I want to thank-you _

_For giving me the best day of my_

_Life_

_Oh, just to be with you_

_Is having the best day of my life_

She changed into black yoga pants and a black tank top and settled for throwing one of her big lilac shirts over it. It had a wide neck and hung on lopsided on her shoulders. She then threw on a pair of boots and threw her mahogany hair up into a messy bun.

_Wow, she looks great _thought Richard as she emerged from her room. But all he actually asked her was "You ready to get going?" with a goofy smile on his face.

Normally Rachel didn't really smile, but she found herself grinning back at him. His happiness truly was contagious.

As they walked outside, Rachel dimly noted that the rain had began falling with new vigor. Rachel reached for her umbrella- only to remember she had left it on her bed in a haste to get out of her room and leave with Richard.

"Do you have an umbrella?" she called over the loud sound of the downpour.

"No!" he shouted back.

"I'll be right bac-" Rachel started but was cut off by Richard, "We'll be fine. Besides the restaurant isn't far from here and we can run under awnings and rooftops along the way."

She sighed again. _It seems like she's sighing way more often now, I wonder what's wrong _contemplated Richard.

Meanwhile Rachel just stared at him. "Lead on, then," she urged him.

"Oh. Right, sorry," Richard finished, lamely as he took her hand and pulled her along to their destination.

_Push the door, I'm home at _

_Last_

_And I'm soaking through and_

_Through_

Rachel was giggling as she walked into her house, soaking wet from the rain. Richard was laughing too and was just as wet. Yes, against all odds, the rain continued to assault the city with the same determination it had in the morning, much to Rachel's dismay.

Rachel made her way to the kitchen to prepare a new mug of tea, after all she never got around to drinking the one she had made in the morning. It still sat in its mug, stone cold. _That's probably why my day was so bad, I didn't have my morning tea _thought Rachel.

Richard, not new to Rachel's apartment, went straight for the towel closet and grabbed two of the deep purple towels. He then went to the kitchen to see her preparing her usual tea- and, was that coffee?

"Since when do you drink coffee, Rae?" He asked as he handed her one of the towels.

She unfolded it and began to dry off, just as Richard had already began to do, before replying "I don't. You do."

He smiled at her. "Thanks Rae."

She felt her face flush, but she nodded at him and then turned, looking over at the tea kettle and then to coffee in the coffee maker. She then crossed the kitchen to grab two mugs from the cabinet. She needed to put space between herself and him.

_Then you hand me a _

_Towel _

_And all I see is you_

"Are you okay, Rae?" he asked, the concern evident in his voice.

"I'm fine, Richard," she replied, brushing him off.

Richard paused for a moment before saying, "No, you aren't. Talk to me." He then silently walked over to where she was and waited for her answer.

Rachel turned around and was surprised to find him right behind her.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Raven inquired, "I thought today was supposed to be fun, yes?"

Richard stared at her intently for a moment. Finally, Rachel broke down a bit.

"Look, its just money problems and work sucks and my love life is non-existent and my life in itself is pathetic. Now can we move right along past this moment and right back to the happy parts, I'd appreciate it."

He chuckled. And then he hugged her. And, well after a brief moment, she relaxed and hugged him back.

_And even if my house falls _

_Down,_

_I wouldn't have a clue _

_Because your near me and _

And then Richard did something he never thought he'd do, but he needed to lift her spirits somehow…and well she mentioned a lack of a love life. _I mean, she wasn't specific on who she wanted her love life with, plus now seems like the perfect-and only- opportunity I'll get to tell her that I really like her. _

Richard intended to tell her that he liked her but instead he didn't.

He kissed her. And he was genuinely surprised when he found her kiss him back.

He pulled back and grinned at her, hugging her tighter to himself. She was grinning too.

_I want to thank-you _

_For giving me the best day of my_

_Life_

_Oh, just to be with you_

_Is having the best day of my life_

When they finally remembered the tea and coffee, Rachel reluctantly detangled herself from Richard and went to pour the drinks into the mugs. She handed Richard his coffee before taking a small, cautious sip of her tea. And she found it was burned and way too tart. She nearly choked swallowing it down. And she saw Richard grimace after taking a big gulp from his coffee.

"Heh, sorry about that. I'll just go throw this out," said Rachel, gesturing toward his mug of coffee.

"Are you kidding me? This is great. Nothing like…charred coffee…" He replied, trying not to hurt her feelings.

She looked at his face, which clearly reflected the disgust of the coffee, and laughed herself to tears. "R-reeallyy,…i-i-it-s fin-e-e," she choked out between laughs. And Richard realized at that moment, that he loved the way she laughed. He chuckled and wiped the tears off that had slid down her face during her laughing fit. Then he encircled his arms around her waist and kissed her again. She smiled.

"How about, we watch a movie here and eat snacks. What food do you have?" asked Richard.

Rachel replied, "I'm really not sure, and I can tell you I'm not leaving to find out right now."

He gave a small laugh as he empathized with her, he didn't want to let her out of his embrace to go look either. Instead, after several moments, he took her hand and lead her to the couch where they snuggled with one another while watching _The Nightmare Before Christmas _on T.V..

_I want to thank-you _

_For giving me the best day of my_

_Life_

_Oh, just to be with you_

_Is having the best day of my life_

And both Rachel and Richard thought to themselves that this truly was the best day ever.

**So I've been on a big writing spree lately with it being summer and all...I just want to thank all of those who reviewed and kept up with my stories! Also, be on the lookout for my next movie fics, -an unselected movie (feel free to vote on my poll)-(rob/rae pairing) and at CRYSTAL13's great suggestion, _The Proposal _(pairings bb/rae and maybe some rob/star)! Thanks again everyone! And, as always, please review! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Warning, this short one shot is a sad one...so if you want to remain happy then I suggest you don't read it...Done to the song 'I can't take it' by the All-American Rejects, try listening to it as you read the fic...Don't own the song...  
**

**I Can't Take It**

_You speak to me  
I know this will be temporary  
You ask to leave,  
but I can tell you that I've had enough_

Rachel and Richard were fighting for the first time in months. Richard had just recently lost his parents in a horrible fire and, despite the police accounts that it was an accident, Richard suspected foul play. He had, of course, told his best friend, Rachel, of his suspicions. At first she tried to talk him out of it. "If it was planned and the criminal tricked so many, what chance do you stand?" she had asked him. She, however, reluctantly agreed to help him.

Rachel was an investigative journalist, which really was quite perfect considering he was a detective. Together they'd be unstoppable, so he thought.

_I can't take it  
This welcome is gone and  
I've waited long enough to make it  
and if you're so strong  
you might as well just do it alone  
And I'll watch you go_

Richard had, indeed, investigated several leads on his own _without _informing Rachel or anyone. He would disappear, sometimes for weeks on end, to thoroughly investigate. He drew more into himself, and Rachel suspected that he was becoming obsessed.

Rachel had tried every means necessary to coax the information he had discovered from him, but to no avail. She had even tried to steal his papers, but he had barely written anything at all and what was there were fragments that made very little sense. That's when she lost it. Something that he didn't blame her for, but still counted on her to do it all the same.

_Step up to me  
I know that you've got something buried  
I'll set you free  
You set conditions, but I've had enough_

"Richard!" she snapped, "Why aren't you telling me?"

He remained silent, looking at his computer screen in silent vigil.

"Richard, _I'm _your BEST FRIEND, DAMMIT! Tell me what's going on RIGHT NOW!"

Despite the steely voice she used, he knew she cared about the situation. He had always been able to read her quite well, a fact that paid off now.

He could tell that she was hurt he wasn't telling her, confused as to why he wanted to keep it all a secret, and scared for him and his safety. But he wouldn't- couldn't- allow himself to be swayed by her concern, so he tensed up and stayed staring at the computer, like a statue.

_I can't take it  
This welcome is gone and  
I've waited long enough to make it  
and if you're so strong  
you might as well just do it alone  
And I'll watch you go_

What happened next, he wasn't prepared for. She walked over to his computer chair, and since it swiveled with ease, she turned him around and slapped him across the face. She then bowed her head and apologized, but said she needed him to respond somehow.

When she looked up at him again, he could see the tears that slid down her cheeks. He knew she hated anyone seeing her cry, but over the years he had earned the privilege of seeing her in disarray. He would often help her out of it.

_But not tonight_ he thought.

_Come back home, won't you come back home?  
You step in line, you got a lot to prove  
It comes and goes  
Yeah, it comes and goes_

He then got up and gingerly wiped the tears off her face before cupping her heart-shaped face in his hands. He then kissed her. And she kissed back.

It was something he had always wanted to do. And now that he had done it, he pushed her away. _I'm so sorry _he mentally apologized, _I can't let you get involved and risk your safety._

He then pushed her away. And he could see the hurt on her crestfallen face. He watched Rachel walk away, lost, confused, and above all, deeply hurt.

_A step in time, yeah it's a lot to move  
I know this will be temporary  
I know this will be temporary  
I know this will be, but I've had enough_

And with each step she took, he could feel his heart breaking further and further.

After she left his apartment, he returned to the computer and printed out his recent files about Slade, a well-known arsonist who was never caught. He was convinced Slade started the fire that took his parents and he wanted to catch the guy.

He had several confirmed sources that his base was on the docks at the pier. Richard dressed in all black to blend with the night shadows before stealing out into the night.

_I can't take it  
This welcome is gone and  
I've waited long enough to make it_

When he arrived at the pier, he checked each building. In the 5th building, he noticed a large screened television. The face, no mask, of a man appeared on the screen and in that moment Richard knew it was Slade. It had to be.

The gold mask, half hidden in the shadows, addressed Richard, "Hello, Mr. Grayson."

Richard was scared of the guy, his voice was sickly smooth like molasses, but without any of the sugar. And he could only see one eye, boring into him. He was also unnerved by the fact that, even with a ski mask on, the criminal knew who he was.

_And he knew I would go looking for him here _thought Richard apprehensively, _What else does he know?_

_and if you're so strong  
you might as well just do it alone  
And I'll watch you go_

The man then began to speak again, causing Richard's stomach to lurch.

"Here I was thinking you would miss out on the fun," Slade said condescendingly, "And after I bothered to get you front- row seats. But it looks like you made it in time after all."

For good measure, the mask added, "Oh and, you should have listened to your friend and not gotten involved."

Richard was confused, but had no time to sort out what the masked man had said because he watched as the screen flickered to a building in the city. Rachel's apartment building.

_Oh no! Not her! NOT HER! _Richard thought frantically, but could only watch the flames lick away at her building.

Richard turned and ran out of the pier, and hopping on his motorcycle, he sped to her apartment. He was going several miles over the speed limit, weaving in and out of cars, but he didn't care.

Soon he reached her building. He could see the firemen pulling out survivors, but Rachel was nowhere to be found.

_I can't take it  
This welcome is gone and  
I've waited long enough to make it  
and if you're so strong  
you might as well just do it alone_

A few days after the fire, they had discovered her charred remains in the rubble of the building. She lived on one of the lower floors and the firemen told him that she had ample time to get out.

But she didn't, she waited to be burned. There were no signs of struggle.

And Richard couldn't help but feel that it was all his fault. He sunk to his knees as he sobbed. For his parents. For his best friend, his beloved.

_And I'll watch you go _

_

* * *

_**There it is, a short stand alone fic...despite the sadness I hope you all enjoyed it! Please, please review if you liked it! I'd really, really, really appreciate it :)**

**Also, if there are any songs you'd like me see make into a short fic, let me know :) Also, please visit my profile page and vote on my poll for my next big rob/rae fic! Thanks!  
**

**~RukiaRae  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone! I've been super busy with school and work (and still have another exam this week and 2 essays coming up) but I wanted to do this small chapter for ****CRaveRob, who** put the song request forward, and therefore, this chapter is dedicated to you. Thanks for the song submission and hopefully you like the chapter!

**disclaimer: Since I took elements from the video I am clearly stating that I do not own the video or song rights and all of that... Not sure if that disclaimer was placed on all of the other songs I used, but it clearly extends to those too.**

**Also, I feel that it is important to note that I put them in high school because it seemed to be the logical choice given the storyline that I was going to give them. It's been awhile since high school though, so I hope that I can accurately portray the high school atmosphere and experience.**

**Also, sorry if any of my language confuses you. Being in United Kingdom, I've picked up many sayings and 'British-isms', which I've tried not to include in the story. However, if I said anything that you don't quite understand, PM me and I can tell you what it means. Also, the spelling in the U.K. is different than in the U.S. and is how I now spell so some of the words will probably look odd to you, but they're correct.**

**It's a bit angsty but I hope you all still enjoy it! Drop me a review if you have the chance! :D**

* * *

_Tired of being what you want me to be_

_Feeling so faithless lost under the surface_

_Don't know what you're expecting of me_

_Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes_

She groaned, reaching over to turn off her alarm clock, which read 6:30am. Sitting up, she yawned, grateful for her dark curtains that blocked out the sunlight. It made for a less jarring waking up process. She climbed out of bed, the goosebumps prickling on her skin as she quickly made her way to her bathroom. Turning the shower knobs, she waited until her shower was scalding hot before hopping in.

Twenty minutes later, she emerged from her shower grabbed her towel and wrapped it about her as she made her way to her rather small closet to get dressed. She chose a rather simple ensemble today, a simple black tee shirt, a pair of ripped jeans, and combat boots. Making her way downstairs to the kitchen, she grabbed her bag, stuffed more with her art supplies than textbooks, and the grey sweater hanging from her doorknob. In the kitchen, she popped two pieces of toast into the toaster and microwaved a cup of water in preparation for tea. All in all, today she was running ahead of schedule with the time only 7:30. She still had an hour until her first class. She sighed, grateful for the quickly approaching weekend. School was a nightmare since she had moved to Gotham a month ago. The beeping of the microwave drew her attention back to breakfast. She placed a teabag of green tea into her cup and grabbed her toast, taking everything to the kitchen table to eat her breakfast alone. With an hour still to get to school, she grabbed _A Storm of Swords _and continued reading where she had left off.

* * *

He began his morning like he always did, snoozing his alarm several times until it was only 20 minutes before his first class. The alarm never woke him up, but Bruce's screaming did. He groaned, his adoptive father was always busy except for making sure Richard was awake in the mornings. Rolling out of bed, Richard raced to the bathroom, taking a 5 minute shower, getting dressed in a rumpled uniform, and rushing downstairs to the car that always took him to school.

_(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)_

_Every step that I take is another mistake to you_

_(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)_

_I've become so numb I can't feel you there_

She made it just in time to her first class, thanks to her mother's yelling, pulling her from the alternate world Martin's book gave her. She was glad that ran and made it there before the teacher, whenever she was late, which was often, she would be called to the front of the classroom to be berated by the teacher and laughed at by her peers. Not that the laughing was anything new. Not long after she moved to Gotham, the class had thought it would be hilarious to snigger and point everytime she opened her mouth, no matter what she said. It wasn't long before the word spread of this to other students in her high school, and not long after, each of her classes were doing something to her trying to outdo the precedent set by her first period class. Her Chem class would applaud loudly after she spoke. Her math class would throw things at her when her teacher was not there, which was often since maths had quite a lot of 'individual work'. But the worst was her literature class. They would all make cat calls and whistles, not only making her uncomfortable, but ruining her favourite class. At least her literature teacher would try to calm the class, which was more than what could be said for her other teachers, but students barely payed the meek teacher any mind. She sighed, pulling out her book and discreetly hiding it under the desk to read. Since she never spoke due to the torment her peers gave her, her only comfort was passing the time reading, in a completely different world than the one she was in.

* * *

He got to class 5 minutes late and just sauntered in, waving hi and greeting his mates, much to the chagrin of his teacher. Still, he was popular, he had to keep up the facade, and part of that included being late and nonchalant about it. He took his seat, leaned back in his chair, and put his headphones in, blaring Kanye's 'Homecoming'. What he loved most was that the teachers didn't bother him since he was Bruce's son. They would glare and some would have the gall to fail him instead of giving him a low 'C', but he enjoyed privileges that many of his peers did not.

It was easy for him to be popular since he was allowed not to care, however, popularity had its price. His friends only hung around him because of his money and popularity; their friendship was predicated on his popularity. Sure, they had fun hanging out, but they really didn't know much about him personally. Popularity was volatile, it was a careful balance. He could never let down the wall, the carefully constructed facade, or else he'd be ostracised, deemed as weird. Still, it was better to be popular than not, a fact that he was constantly reminded of since he sat close to Garfield Logan, the quintessential freak. Gar loved animals and practically lived in a zoo- his parents were scientists and kept a variety of pets. He shook his head, Gar had been way too open, and now he suffered as the one that everyone would pull pranks on. Just last week, he and Victor had snuck into the locker room for the swim team during their practice and poured green dye into Gar's shampoo. The next day, Gar showed up with bright green hair, unable to wash it out, and was since called 'Grass stain'. Vic and he had become even more popular after that. While Richard felt bad, he had to do it. Gar was the easiest target and pulling that prank had solidified his popularity. The only unforeseen thing was he had started a string of pranks on the kid. Richard turned his attention to his iPod, thinking about Gar was depressing.

* * *

She jumped as the metre stick of the professor came crashing down on her desk. Everyone was cracking up, encouraging the teacher to further embarrass Ravyn. Which he did.

"Now that I have your attention, would you mind answering the question I've asked you _four _times?" he snarled.

"I didn't hear it," she mumbled, and the class started giggling more.

"To the front of the class room," ordered the teacher, "and give me that book, I'm confiscating it."

Ravyn relinquished the book reluctantly, "Can I have it back after class?" she meekly asked as she made her way up to the front of the classroom, her question followed by the applause of her peers.

"No, you're parents will have to come down and meet with me before you can have it back."

He then slammed her book down onto his desk, before asking her about the material covered that day, all of which, of course, she didn't know. The rest of the class passed with her having to repeat that she didn't know the answer to the question, and the amusement of her peers as she was humiliated. As she was gathering her bag, she heard many of her peers whispering and calling out names at her, many of which contained the words 'stupid', 'retarded', and 'slow'. She sighed, going to the cafeteria and standing in line to get some food. At the end of the line, lost in thought and despairing over her lost book, she didn't see the foot appear in front of her and went hurling to the floor, her food spilling everywhere, mostly on her. Of course, the tables nearby laughed, drawing the attention of other students, who were just as unsympathetic. She rushed to the locker room, taking a quick shower to get the food out of her hair. She then got back dressed into her jeans and PE shirt. Her jeans had some food stains, but were much better than her tee. Stuffing her tee into her bag, she made her way to the exit of the door, flashing her ID. She was glad her mother had signed the forms for her to have an ID that allowed her to leave the school for lunch. She walked out and wandered to a small sandwich shop that she loved, eating slowly while looking outside at the cars passing by.

_I__'ve become so tired so much more aware_

_I'm becoming this all I want to do_

_Is be more like me and be less like you_

Richard bailed on the rest of his classes, unable to stand it any longer. It wasn't too difficult to sneak out, he just had to say that he had forgotten a textbook at home and he was given an hour pass to go and retrieve it. Of course, he wouldn't be back today. He went to the underground train station and hopped on, going across town to his favourite park.

* * *

After lunch, she headed to a remote area of the Gotham City park, home to the Fountain of Angels, dedicated to the diligent police force and crime fighters in Gotham. She went to the bench that she always took. She always sat in the same place because the fountain was only a metre behind her and at the best angle to draw the marble statues that had been carved into the fountain. She loved coming to the peaceful park to draw and let go. It was her place. She reached into her messenger bag and withdrew her sketchpad and charcoals and began to draw. She was good at art, that she knew, but drawing the angels was what she was best at. They seemed to come alive on the page. Ravyn closed her eyes, taking in the afternoon sun and the breeze that tickled her face. It wasn't until she opened her eyes again after the moment passed that she realised her picture was flying in the wind. Part of her wanted to grab it, but she knew that it was much too high for her to reach. _Oh well, you've drawn them thousands of times, there are plenty more that you still have left at home _she thought before gathering her materials. Checking her phone told her that she had spent about 45 minutes at the park, and between the park and lunch, had killed enough time to return home and pretend she had spent all day in class. After shoving everything back into her bag, she turned and left the way she'd come.

* * *

Walking to the Gotham City park, Richard was thankful that it was so far away from the mansions that his friends and classmates inhabited on the other side of the city. Lost in thought, Richard was surprised when he heard an odd crunch underneath his foot. Bending down, he picked up the paper, and after turning it over, saw the most exquisitely drawn angel in dark black charcoal. Some of it had gotten smudged, but the drawing was still remarkable. He could almost feel the Angel's eyes boring into him, evaluating him. Placing the drawing into his bag, he made his way around the fountain and saw another girl with raven-black hair, who must have been around his age, in a PE shirt slinging her messenger bag over her shoulder and leaving. _Great, looks like I have my favourite spot all to myself. _Quickly making his way to the bench, he claimed his favourite spot. Looking at the fountain in front of him, he finally noticed the likeness of the angel in the drawing to the ones on the fountain. Removing the drawing from his bag, he held it up and it looked to be a perfect likeness. Looking around, he sadly noted that the girl was gone. _Did she draw this?_

_Can't you see that you're smothering me_

_Holding too tightly afraid to lose control_

_Cause everything that you thought I would be_

_Has fallen apart right in front of you_

_(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)_

Arriving home, Ravyn jumped when she heard her mother say in an even and cold voice, "Come in here."

Ravyn made her way to the kitchen and saw her mother sitting facing the entrance of the kitchen. Ravyn put her bag down gently and sat down across from her mother.

"What is this I hear about you disturbing class?" she shrieked, "Reading in class? Not being prepared? _And _skipping parts of _ten _days! We've only been here a _month _Ravyn, what's wrong with you?"

_What's wrong with me? _Thought Ravyn, _How about the fact that I have no friends. That school is hell. That I'm always alone. That every time I speak I'm mocked or laughed at. Or that my friends from back home no longer speak to me, how Kori has become popular and has no time for me anymore. _She felt like crying, crying in frustration, in anger, in sadness, in confusion...she was a bundle of emotions. She wanted nothing more than to yell this all at her mother, but she wouldn't understand. She'd probably try to get involved, just making the situation worse. So instead she settled for,

"I hate it here. Did you ask me if I wanted to move? NO. And yet you expect me to have no problems with all of this? I'm adjusting, okay? Leave me alone."

"No, don't tell me to leave you alone. This is your most important year. You have you're SATs and colleges to apply for next year. You _need _good grades to get in."

"Or I can get an art scholarship," quipped Ravyn.

"How many times must I tell you that art isn't a solid profession. You can't make money as an artist!" shrieked her mother.

"I'll take that chance," snapped Ravyn, before getting up to leave.

"WELL YOU BETTER GET A SCHOLARSHIP," bellowed her mother, "BECAUSE I WON'T PAY FOR UNIVERSITY IF YOU'RE GOING TO WASTE YOUR EDUCATION ON ART! I WILL CUT YOU OFF!"

"Do it, doesn't matter," said Ravyn before heading to her room and locking the door.

* * *

Richard got home, eating the prepared snack that Alfred aways had for him after class. Today it was tomato sandwich, one of his favourites. The mansion was deathy quiet, a sound Richard had come to like. He loved his foster father, however, as of late, Bruce was trying to get Richard to take over Wayne Enterprises and they had gotten into several arguments over the matter. Richard revelled in the silence, eating slowly and enjoying the rare moment where he enjoyed being home. After finishing the sandwiches, Richard grabbed his phone out of his bag and bounded up the stairs to his room. He then changed out of his uniform into a tight red t shirt that showed off his muscles before texting Vic to make plans to hang out, like they always did.

* * *

_Every step that I take is another mistake to you_

_(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)_

_And every second I waste is more than I can take_

Ravyn detested crying. But, in the safety of her dark room, she couldn't stop the hot tears from bubbling over. She softly cried for the first time in a very long time. She never cried long, however, and today was no exception. She firmly believed that crying, while it was helpful, could be detrimental in excess. So she always allowed herself only a small period of time to grieve and be sad before pulling herself together once again and getting back up. She wiped away all evidence of her tears as she heard her mother open the garage and drive off, probably back to work. Being a single parent, Ravyn's mom was always working late. Ravyn exhaled, she was alone once again. Relieved, she went back downstairs and made herself some tea.

* * *

Richard didn't hang out with Vic long, just long enough to be acceptable, but then he used the excuse of a dinner party to leave. They had played some tag football with the rest of their mates and, afterwards, went to Roy's house to play video games and drink a bit. Happy to get away, Richard returned home. He was not expecting to run into Bruce, nor for his foster father to look so solemn.

"What-?" began Richard, however, before he could finish, Bruce held up the drawing of the angel and asked, "What's this?"

"I-its a drawing I found," stated Richard, shocked, "What were you doing in my bag?"

"You left it on the floor _as you always do _and while picking it up everything fell out," explained Bruce, "So is this what you want to do with your life? _Draw?_"

Richard cringed at the way Bruce sneered the last word. Resolving not to be intimidated, he snapped, "I told you. I. Found. It."

"TELL ME THE TRUTH," roared Bruce.

"YOU WANT THE TRUTH?" Richard bellowed back, "I FOUND IT. BUT WOULD I RATHER DRAW THAN TAKE OVER YOUR COMPANY? HELL YEA. I HAVE INTERESTS AND GOALS I WOULD LIKE TO ACHIEVE, WHICH YOU WOULD KNOW IF YOU SPENT ANY TIME HERE! I BET YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE!"

The sting Bruce's hand left on his face shocked Richard, never once had Bruce raised a hand against him.

"You have it better than so many people," snapped Bruce, "You have no right to complain."

Richard grunted as a reply, he knew Bruce would never understand.

"Good," said Bruce, sounding wary. Richard almost felt bad for him, until Bruce threw the picture into the fireplace of the study. Richard lunged, trying to save it, but he was too late. He could only stand and watch the page blacken and curl in the fire. Richard then glared at Bruce before leaving, slamming the door on his way out.

_I've become so numb I can't feel you there_

_I've become so tired so much more aware_

_I'm becoming this all I want to do_

_Is be more like me and be less like you_

Bored, Ravyn decided to look through their boxes for more of her things. After several boxes, she found a bunch of her sketchbooks. She loved looking at all of the things she used to draw, it took her back to the time when she drew them. Hauling the box upstairs, she took a pile of them and set them on her bed. There were so many, she didn't remember having that many. And they looked old. Opening one, Ravyn was stunned to see her father's signature on the corner of the inside of the cover. Flipping through the pages, she was stunned at how good he was. Her father had died several years ago, but Ravyn remembered he was unemployed more oft than not and that his situation caused problems for their family. He had eventually joined the army, intent on getting a new degree and a pay check, but he died of an unexplained brain hemorrhage only a few years after joining. Ravyn eagerly flipped through all of his sketchbooks, and when she was finished, she hid them under her bed hoping her mother wouldn't find them and take them after their argument.

She knew that her father's story should help her to learn, but she resolved not to give up on drawing. His art strengthened her resolve, she hoped that she could succeed where he had not. She knew that he would want her to at least try and follow her dreams, as he had done. If she failed, she would find a way out of it. She gathered her things and decided to go take the underground and go to a place that she didn't know, to find new inspiration there.

* * *

Gathering some clothes in a travel bag, Richard left his home, walking to the bench situated next to where the bus picked up all of the elementary school kids that went to public school in this area. He then texted Vic _party 2nite? _It wasn't long before he saw Vic's response, _Hey man, how was dinner w/ the fam? And hellz ya, meet ya at the stop? _Grateful, Richard sent out a confirmation text before slipping his phone back into his pocket. Once again, he was glad he was Bruce's son, he was never declined into clubs, he sometimes had to pay the bouncer a small amount of money to get them in, but he was never rejected. And tonight, he needed nothing more than some alcohol to wash away the fight with Bruce.

Just thinking about that afternoon riled him up. Richard loved history and really wanted to be a professor, teaching students to love history the way he had come to. Of course, his grades in history didn't reflect his love for the subject matter, he purposefully only did slightly better on those exams than on the rest. He couldn't openly share this with anyone, least of all Bruce, who would criticise the lack of income he would make. And the lack of prestige. It wasn't until he had blurted it out this afternoon, but Bruce never actually asked what it was Richard wanted to do, he had always just assumed that it would be inferior to taking over the family business. Richard sighed, knowing he was trapped. Bruce wouldn't pay for anything if Richard wanted to do anything other than a business degree. And he knew the tabloids would be all over that story, so much that no matter where he went, he would no longer be connected to Bruce's prestige. He would be denied the opportunities he enjoyed now. So Richard knew that no matter how he fought he'd study what Bruce wante dhim to, but just because Bruce won in that department didn't mean that Richard had to apply himself. Richard intended to skate through university the way he was doing for high school, taking as many courses that interested him as possible.

_And I know_

_I may end up failing too_

Ravyn wandered to this incredibly posh area of town, there were mansions everywhere. It was ridiculous that her family had to scrape to get by while people lived like this. Awe-stricken, Ravyn wandered the sidewalks until she came upon a bus stop across the street that was bathed in the yellow streetlight. There was a young boy sitting there, about her age, and Ravyn decided to draw him. She sat on the edge of the sidewalk to prepare her materials and draw a quick sketch. After the sketch, she began embellishing the picture, adding the holes in his jeans, the shadows of his shirt. Unconsciously, Ravyn began adding wings, turning him into another one of her angel drawings. She was so caught up in what she was doing that she didn't hear the group of kids quickly approaching.

It wasn't long before she felt her sketchbook being snatched from her hands. A man stood before her who looked much like the one she was drawing, but meaner and with a scar that marred his face.

"Hey there, sweetie, whatcha doin?" he asked, in a leering tone, stinking of vodka and vomit.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" She heard as the kid bounded from across the street, his bag in one hand.

"Well, if it isn't Wonder Boy, Richard," said the boy, cockily, "I was only doing what you do on a daily basis, so you can relax, kid."

"Fuck you, Xander," snapped the boy, Richard, before dropping his bag and punching the scarred boy in the face. They got into a row, but it wasn't long before Richard beat the other kid, pinning him to the ground.

"Get the hell away before I kick your ass again," snapped Richard.

"You'll pay for this, kid, I promise you," threatened Xander before stumbling off.

"Don't worry about him, he's always drunk and rude. Xander fell in with a bad crowd years ago, no one likes him anymore," explained Richard to a frightened Ravyn, "I'm Richard by the way, let me grab your book, I'll be right back."

Richard picked up his bag before heading off to get it.

Somewhere in the skirmish, Ravyn's sketchbook had, in fact, gone flying. As Richard went to retrieve it, Ravyn put away her charcoals and picked up her bag. It wasn't until he was looking at what she was drawing on the way back from picking it up that she realised she had been drawing him, and he now knew it. Turning red, Ravyn turned and fled, ignoring the cries of "Wait!" behind her.

She was sure that he would've caught up if a car hadn't turned on the street, with four people in the car shouting "RICHARRRD!"

* * *

Disappointed that his friends had arrived, Richard stopped running after the girl and shoved the sketchbook into his night bag before hopping in his friend's Cadillac. It wasn't until then that he realised he had never asked for the girl's name. Faking a party mood, they all went into the heart of the city to party.

For once, Richard didn't get wasted, but faked it to his friends. That night, as they all lay sleeping, he crept to the bathroom with his travel bag, locking the door. In the front cover, he was happy to find _Ravyn _scrawled in an elegant script. He flipped through the pages of countless angels, all just the same as the one Bruce had burned earlier. And then there was the one of him. A proper fallen angel.

_But I know_

_You were just like me with someone disappointed in you_

Ravyn went home immediately after the encounter. She had enough for one night. Still, she despaired at losing her sketchbook. And to a rich, popular kid like the ones that tormented her at school. He probably thought she was incredibly weird, a thought that bothered her. It hit close to home; everyone at her high school had reached the same conclusion without really knowing her either. _Am I really that weird, that much of a freak?_ thought Ravyn, hugging her knees to her chest, depressed.

To take her mind off of things, she tried to draw the angels from the fountain from memory. It wasn't until she finished that she realised it was the boy that she'd seen. She tore out the picture, crumpled it up, and threw it at the far side of her room.

* * *

The picture of him stirred something in him, but he couldn't say what it was. _Inspiration, that's it. _It was a foreign feeling, to be inspired. _This girl is doing what she wants, no matter what other people think of her, while I'm to scared to look even remotely different. _She and her art was inspiring him to do better, be better. To be deserving of the angel status that she had bestowed upon him. The next day, Richard formally apologised to Gar and invited the skinny kid to hang out that afternoon, noting the expression of pure shock and appreciation that showed on his face.

He stopped blaring his iPod and decided to pay attention to the teacher, or to at least look like it and not be openly rude. His mates were, of course, confused, but he was shocked that he wasn't knocked from his popularity pedestal. His friends accepted Gar into their circle, also apologising. _I can change things, _he thought.

___I've become so numb I can't feel you there_

_I've become so tired so much more aware_

_I'm becoming this all I want to do_

_Is be more like me and be less like you_

Ravyn went to her bedroom window, looking down at the ground three storeys down. _Will anyone miss me if I jump? _she thought. The answer, of course, was no. And yet, there was something keeping her from jumping. _I still have things to do, and I'm almost in university, I can make it. __I am strong enough _she thought to herself, yet she didn't know if she could endure the next two years alone. She sighed, crawled into bed, and fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Richard folded up the picture, taking great pains to keep both her drawing of him and her sketchbook out of Bruce's sight. While getting dressed in his tux, he pulled out the sketch done of him and looked at it once more, feeling proud.

He had resolved to really talk to Bruce after the dinner about what he wanted to do with his life and, hopefully, figuring out a way to reconcile the two very different paths. He knew something drove Bruce to be the way he was, probably he was forced into business and decided it was what was best for his son too. He hoped he could get Bruce to understand.

* * *

"Ravyn, Hurry up, we need to be leaving soon!" called her mother.

Ravyn groaned, her mother had a dinner function at Wayne Manor and was bringing Ravyn along. It was the Thanksgiving party and select members from the company were invited along with their families, and Ravyn's mother wasn't about to turn down the invitation. Or allow Ravyn to do the same. So they had gone out, buying Ravyn a long, dark blue shimmering gown. Her mother had a simple black long dress.

They looked ridiculous taking the subway in gowns, but they made it to the manor on time and looking relatively the same as they had in the flat. The gates were open to allow cars into the massive driveway, and when they reached the large mansion door, they were greeted by a butler named Alfred. He took their coats and hung them up and pointed them to the parlour where they would be received by Bruce and his son.

Making their way to the room, they waited in line until they reached Bruce, who was nice and made some small talk with Ravyn. He then introduced them to his son, Richard, and Ravyn felt like she had been punched in the stomach. Embarrassed, she said a quick hello before wandering to the parlour's balcony that overlooked a magnificent garden.

___I've become so numb I can't feel you there_

_I'm tired of being what you want me to be_

_I've become so numb I can't feel you there_

_I'm tired of being what you want me to be_

Detangling himself from the guests, Richard went to where Ravyn was.

"Hey," he said, causing her to jump and redden.

"Hi," she mumbled, before looking back out to the garden.

"Do you want your sketchbook back? I still have it," he offered.

"Don't worry about it. Do what you want with it, throw it out or something," she answered, still staring at the gardens.

"Of course I'm not going to throw it away, I really like it, actually. Thanks for letting me keep it, it's helped more than you know," he said before going back to mingle.

Ravyn looked at his retreating figure, confused.

"Wait!" she called, causing him to turn, "Are we friends?"

She knew it was an awkward question, but she needed to know.

"Yeah," he answered with an easy smile, "In some ways you know me better than everyone else. Anyway, I'll give you my number after greeting everyone, we should hang out sometime soon."

His answer was still a bit confusing, but it still made her glad. She felt like she really had helped him somehow.

A soft smile graced her lips for the first time in a long time.

* * *

**Hm. Not sure how it turned out, mixed feelings about this one. Let me know what you think, though!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~RukiaRae**


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, just a cute story I thought of after seeing Train's 'Marry Me' music video. Hope you all enjoy!**_  
_

* * *

Marry Me?**  
**

_Victor and Karen were seated side-by-side on a love seat couch waiting for Wally to set up the camera. Victor was tall and muscular and he took up a good portion of the chair. Karen, his girlfriend, looked tiny by comparison. She was dressed in a yellow silk shirt that complemented her chocolate skin and eyes. She wore bright red lipstick and black pants and was practically beaming. Victor, on the other hand, was much more casual. He wore a fitted dark blue v-neck tee and black pants. They were holding hands, waiting for the interview to begin._

_"So how did you guys meet?" came the authoritative voice of Wally West from behind the camera. _

_She giggled at the memory, "I beat him when we were sparring at the gym and he hated it, though he tried to pretend like he just wasn't prepared. The best was seeing his face when I called him Sparky."_

_"YOU DID NOT BEAT ME, WOMAN!," he yelled, "That's just a lie she likes to say to make herself feel better."_

_"Anyway," she continued, rolling her eyes but not getting into that touchy subject, "I liked him. Liked his spark. But he had this crush on this other obnoxious girl, Jessica. Thankfully, he got over that."_

_He nodded with a grin on his face, "And then I helped set up her internet and computers in her new apartment and decided that I liked her too."_

_"He started calling me every night and, eventually, asked me out. I was so nervous."_

_"No matter how often she tells that story, I don't believe she was ever nervous. She doesn't know how to be nervous," he interjected, "I was a wreck. I didn't know where to take her, what to wear, any of it. She was special and I wanted to show her that. So I called up my old bestie from college, Rachael cos she's good at this and she helped me find the perfect place."_

_Karen smiled, "I remember her, she always had the uncanny ability to know just what I wanted to say and couldn't. Did you know she was the one who convinced me to invite you to set up my electronics when I moved? She could tell I had it bad even before I could. Anyway, we went to the Rose Garden, it was so beautiful. We sat outside, there were flowers everywhere and Christmas lights in the terrace above our heads and it was just us."_

_"Booked a private room," he said, beaming, "Wanted to have a romantic setting."_

_After a pause, he added, "Didn't know that I can hear her no matter how many people are around, she shouts like a bat outta hell."_

_"HEY!" She yelled. They began arguing before coming to an agreement and continuing on as though nothing had happened._

_"I love you, baby," she said sweetly._

_"I love you too."_

The scene changed to his other two friends, Roy and Kori.

_Roy and Kori were seated at the same loveseat_. _Roy wore a yellow shirt that did nothing for his ginger complexion and a pair of worn jeans. His girlfriend wore a cute pink sundress and her red waves down._

_"So how did you guys meet?" Wally asked again, prompting discussion._

_"I was at the farmer's market, looking for this one chick who was a huge hippie, but totally easy, I wanted to be suave and look like I shopped there too so she would want to bang-" he stopped seeing the menacing glare from Kori, "Anyway, she was in line behind me and the woman at the counter asked if we were related."_

_She nodded, letting him continue, "I saw her and thought she was ho-beautiful but then Aya, the hippie, showed up and started chatting to me and I didn't get a chance to catch her before she had left."_

_"I remember I was disappointed that he did not converse with me, I took more time than usual when transporting my items to the car, but he still did not come," she said, almost sadly._

_"A few weeks later, I saw her on campus and ran to talk to her, praying she'd remember me," he stated, "But I think I always knew she would…I mean, c'mon, I'm unforgettable."_

_At this, Kori playfully hit his shoulder and rolled her eyes, "I did remember him and we talked for a long time."_

_"I figured out that she was an exchange student from France, though she didn't look French to me, and I thought it was perfect. A hot-" he was cut off from the hit she gave him, "Sorry beautiful exchange student? Who would go home after the end of the year? It was the perfect no-strings-attached situation."_

_She sighed, "Friends warned me of what he was like, so I decided we would only be friends. He understood this after I said 'no' many times to the going of out with him and we were good friends that year."_

_He smiled, "I asked her out several times, I really fell for her quickly. I decided I would keep asking til she said yes. But she kept saying no so I eventually decided to date this one chick who, I found out, was completely crazy. Her name was Kitten and she was decently attractive but not prettier than Kor. I wanted her to see that I was, in fact, capable of being monogamous."_

_Kori's eyes narrowed, "I did not like her, she was like a female dog! I saw them on campus doing the hanging out and I went over to say hello to my friends. She was so so…"_

_"She was jealous," Roy finished, pointing at Kori and smirking, "The girls got in a row about something and went at it. And I mean it. Punches were thrown, insults were screamed."_

_Kori nodded, "I have learned some ways of fighting and I did not hold back. It was then, I think, that I realised that I liked him as a non-friend. When he called, I was sad he did not ask me out. But he did say Kitten was psycho and how she would not leave him alone. I saw them the next day, Kitten was being annoying to him and I yelled at her to stop."_

_"Boy did she yell," he said with a grin, "After Kitten left, I decided to try one last time, before we all graduated. She said yes and we got married so she could get citizenship and stay here._

_ "And we've been together ever since," finished Kori before they kissed quickly._

* * *

_Garfield Logan and Tara Strong were sitting down, attempting not to trip on any wires. _

_"Let me know when you're ready," asked Wally._

_After a bit more shuffling, they said in unison, "Ready."_

_"So how did you guys meet?" _

_"We went on a blind date," Gar began, grinning from ear to ear and his emerald eyes were gleaming. His grin made his cherubic face look even younger but it conveyed the loyalty and devotion he held for the woman next to him. _

_His honey-coloured hair was falling in his eyes and Tara quickly brushed them away for him. She settled back, her blue eyes also sparkled. Her platinum hair shook as she laughed._

_"He's being nice. We met for a blind date at a bar but I was so drunk by the time he arrived. I had just broken up with my ex, Slade, and I was devastated. My friends told me the best way to heal was to get back out there."_

_"Yeah, she was a little drunk," Gar confessed, "But she was beautiful and talked for awhile. I remember I had the best pie of my life that night."_

_She smiled, "I was getting hungry after all the liquor and he drove me to my favourite late-night diner. He actually picked me up and carried me out of the bar."_

_He laughed, "That I did. She looked stunning but I didn't trust her on those heels."_

_"We went for a great dinner, and, as I was sobering up, I realised that we had a lot in common. He also met my good friend, Rae, and she approved of him."_

_"She did?" Gar asked, "I thought she hated me."_

_Tara lauged, "It's how she shows affection, she insults people. But if she didn't like you, she would not have encouraged me to call you back."_

_"But you didn't call me back," he huffed playfully._

_She smiled, "That's because I was stupid. I was going to go crawling back to Slade, and nearly did. Rae understood, she told me not to rush into things, to take time to heal myself. So I did."_

_"One of those days I saw her at the theme park. We spent the day together going on all the rides and playing all of the games, it was so much fun so I asked her out again. I really had to convince her, but she said yes."_

_"Before our date, I was nervous. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt butterflies for someone! I remember I was blown away when he gave me this jewellery box," she explained, holding up the heart-shaped jewellery box, "he made it himself. That's when I knew he was a keeper."_

Richard stopped the tape, swallowing emotions that threatened to overtake him. Tara had died from cancer recently, a fact that had hit Gar really hard. The funeral had taken place two months ago and had been just for her family and Gar. He hadn't seen Gar much since. Gar was still coming to terms with it all, despite the fact that he'd known it was coming. The tape was the last one made before the discovery and the treatment began.

He sighed to himself, he had work to do running Wayne Enterprises, not thinking of this. The tape was cute, though. A tribute made for his friends for Valentine's day last year.

He, unlike his friends, focussed on his work. It had ceased to bother him years ago, but he had come to understand that, as the CEO, he didn't have much time to devoting to dates. He did try to date women that interested, but, try as he might, his relationships didn't last long. They always broke up with him citing his need to be constantly working. Normally, he felt okay with this, but today, for some reason (perhaps the sad history he'd dug up), he was feeling lonely. He gathered his wool coat and the daily paper he purchased on his way to work each morning. After closing his laptop, he headed for the elevators, he needed to get away from the stifling office for awhile.

* * *

She frowned, almost all of the patrons were with someone, either holding hands, looking at photos, or just talking while leaning in closely. The problem with working the late night café shift during the weekday was many couples arranged to stop in for breakfast or lunch. The quaint and traditional feel of a diner appealed to them. She wished Toni wasn't sick. She normally had the night shift, which consisted of seedier clientele. She could deal fine with the dregs of society, however, she couldn't stand being reminded of her single status.

Malcolm Nor was only a year ago, but she still felt her heart clench sadly when thinking about him and how he cheated on her. From then on, she kept her relationships casual, no-nonsense. She knew she wasn't beautiful, didn't earn much, and was, on the whole, anti-social. And she had no problem with this, she could deal just fine on her own. However, today, with all the patrons sitting with one another, she felt excluded somehow. Almost as though she was missing something. Shaking her head, she opened her book and continued reading.

The kettle began whistling not moments later. Yanked from her story, Rachael quickly got up to pour the tea. Even though it was only one mug, she was still required to carry the tray, which she did. Lost in thought, she collided with a customer who had just entered. Biting back a string of curses, this really wasn't her day, she turned to grab a washcloth, calling to the patron to sit wherever. She fixed a new cup of tea for the woman before going to clean up the mess. Once at the scene of the accident, she noticed that all of the glass shards had been piled neatly on the tray. She looked up and nearly choked. The guy she had rather un-gracefully ran into was _gorgeous. _She was glad that he was looking out the window and missed her gaping at his shoulder length ebony hair and lean figure. His chiseled jaw was covered with the lightest dusting of facial hair. All of this, however, was nothing compared to the crushing weight of his cerulean gaze, which had now shifted to her.

She offered a weak smile, almost as a thanks, before looking back at the mess and getting to work, hoping this task would keep her from blushing like an idiot. She went about her work, almost giddy, and found that she now could not focus on her book at all. It was either attend to customers or sit behind the counter and try not to stare (obviously, anyway...covert stares were fine but she didn't want to risk being noticed). She walked over to another couple, taking their order and their menus. She was, for once, feeling like the diner should change the uniform. She wore the typical bright coloured short (in her case, really short) dress with an apron around her waist. The light blue of her uniform made her pale skin look paler and it kept riding up. She felt incredibly self conscious, hoping that she didn't look like a nervous idiot fiddling with her uniform all the time.

Finally, there was no putting it off, she went over to him and gave the spiel on the specials of the day while handing him a menu. He looked nonplussed and took the menu before returning to reading the daily news.

"Just signal me when you're ready to order," she stated. He merely nodded, barely looking at her.

Feeling incredibly awkward, she just left to her post behind the counter. She didn't know why she felt so disappointed, she wasn't a head-turner after all (a fact that she thought she had come to terms with) but his lack of response made her feel even worse.

* * *

He knew he was being rude but he couldn't help it. He knew that if he tried to say more than a few words to her he would get tongue-tied and she would just think him an idiot who was just trying (and failing) to hit on her. Like countless other guys did, probably.

She was beautiful, that was undeniable. Her uniform was quite short and emphasised her curvaceous figure. Her chestnut hair was cut into a manageable bob that, right now, flared out from her heart shaped face. Her features were very petite, she had a cute button-nose and full lips that he would've killed to kiss. But what really made her different were her amethyst eyes. When he caught her gaze as she was mopping up the mess, he could feel her eyes pierce into him. He had never seen eyes convey an understanding, even wise, quality that hers had.

_Forever can never be long enough for me_  
_To feel like I've had long enough with you_  
_Forget the world now we won't let them see_  
_But there's one thing left to do_

It took him awhile to notice that he had been on the same page of the news for the past 15 minutes. He sighed and picked up the menu, willing himself to focus on the food for a minute so he could order and not hold her up. He gulped and gave himself a mental pep-talk that he could do this. Finally he looked up and, for the second time that day, he came under her piercing eyes. She slid off her stool and walked over with purpose. No-nonsense, that described her well.

"What can I get you?" she asked monotonously.

"Toast and coffee, please," he mumbled.

"How many slices of toast and do you want butter?"

"2 slices and yes, thanks," re replied quickly.

She nodded.

In a poor attempt to start a conversation, he added, "I never knew this place was here."

"Yeah well...I'm honestly not surprised," she commented, gesturing to his suit.

After a beat of silence she quipped, "All the glory of a fifties diner with none of the propriety."

He smiled at her joke and watched as she all but ran back to her station.

_Now that the weight has lifted_  
_Love has surely shifted my way_  
_Marry Me_  
_Today and every day_

* * *

She groaned to herself, mortified. Her biting humour wasn't considered funny by many people, of course he wouldn't be amused. Businessmen often weren't fond of being teased and she had made that comment about his suit. _Oh god, what was I thinking? _Recalling that she was, in fact, not supposed to care, she mentally chided herself and her unreasonable desire to get him to notice her. She was being childish, he didn't notice her and that was that. Let sleeping dogs lie.

And it didn't help that she wasn't good with small talk. Even if he did notice her, she would probably fuck it up. Not that she cared, because he didn't-and wouldn't- notice her. She groaned, could Jason be any slower at cooking up toast?

A few moments later, toast with butter on the side appeared on the ledge from the kitchen. Gratefully, she quickly made up the coffee and, this time, was glad for the tray. It held his toast, coffee, milk, sugar, and butter. She would not need to interact with him further.

Walking briskly back to his table, she managed to place all of the dishes on his table with a semblance of grace.

"Call me over if you need anything," she stated firmly before retreating back to her book. She hadn't made any progress, she just opted for staring at the book to look as though she was busy with something. When she finally managed to talk herself into stealing a secret glance at him over her book, she noticed his spot was vacant, his food eaten.

Disappointment washed over her again. She knew life wasn't the movies, but she still felt that life was particularly unfair this morning. He could have at least talked to her and _pretended _to like her for the minute she was at his table. She frowned, recalling that he had done just that and she had ruined it with her sarcasm. Fine, the world was unfair for not endowing him with a sense of humour like hers.

For the rest of the day, for some reason, she kept a sharp eye on the door. Whenever the bells announced a new client, she would eagerly look to see who it was and, as expected, it wasn't him. She hoped her customers didn't notice her crestfallen face every time. She was relieved when the day was over, she could finally go home and put him out of her head. She would take up her night shift when Toni was back and all would be back to normal.

* * *

_Marry Me_  
_If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe_  
_Say you will_  
_Mm-hmm_  
_Say you will_  
_Mm-hmm_

Part of him wanted to go back. A big part. But he knew it was useless, he couldn't even talk to her for more than five minutes! And yet, he still wanted to see her again. He groaned in exasperation and began to pace his office, thinking about what he ought to do.

"What happened?" asked Babs, causing him to jump noticeably.

"Nothing."

"Rich, you _never _pace your office. So I ask again," came her reply._  
_

He groaned at the red-headed woman in front of him. He knew she wouldn't let it alone. So he told her.

She laughed, teasing "It's finally happened. I think this is the first time you couldn't focus on your work. When are you going to propose?"

He grimaced. Bitterly, he replied, "Probably never because I can't talk to her."

"Sure you can, want to know a secret?" she asked and, without waiting for his reply, launched into her reply, "Tell her she's stunning. Or, if you can't look into her eyes, look at her mouth when she talks, it helps."

She then winked, but Richard failed to understand just what it was for. Eager to get away from Barbara's prying questions, he feigned bravery and told her he was leaving for the diner. It wasn't until he was on his bike that he realised, without actually meaning to, he was headed there. _Might as well, then _he thought, arriving 10 minutes later. He walked in and, he wasn't sure what he was expecting, but she wasn't behind the counter. It was another girl, probably around the same age, with black hair streaked with red. Her hair was pulled up into pig tails and her eyes were grey.

He was so disappointed that he nearly walked out. But, he had told Barbara that he would go and she would only continue her inquisition if he went back. Sighing, he sat down and waited to be served.

When she finally made her way over to him he was given his menu, as per usual here. He had no idea what possessed him to ask, but somehow he blurted out, "Where's the waitress from yesterday?"

The girl chuckled, "Rachael? She does the night shift, she was only covering for me yesterday." She gave a knowing smile before adding, "Her shift starts at 10:30."

_Together can never be close enough for me_  
_Feel like I am close enough to you_  
_You wear white and I'll wear out the words I love you_  
_And you're beautiful_

* * *

Her life was back to normal. Sort of. She still thought about the mysterious guy often but she no longer jumped up when the door opened and no longer dreamed he'd come running after her. All after one day. _Progress _she thought. The bell rang again, her first customer of the night. Nibbling on her pencil's eraser, she decided she would figure out the word of her crossword before taking the person's order.

_Now that the wait is over_  
_And love and has finally shown her my way_  
_Marry me_  
_Today and every day_  
_Marry me_

She noticed the shadow fall over her and looked up. She was reeling, knocked off the precarious balance she'd made for herself. Accidentally dropping her pencil, she asked, "Wh-what are you do-doing here?"

She cringed at the way it came out. It conveyed her surprise, so much so that the statement was stupid and she had barely gotten it out coherently. She nearly crawled under the counter from embarrassment when she heard him laugh. _He's here for late night food _she chided _what a dumb question. _

* * *

_If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe_  
_Say you will_  
_Mm-hmm_  
_Say you will_  
_Mm-hmm_

He smiled, she sounded confused, nervous even that he would be there. And, for some reason, he found it funny and couldn't hold back the laughter. He immediately felt bad, seeing her lower her head in embarrassment.

"Sorry, I don't mean to be rude," he mumbled, "It's just...the way you asked the question. It was at odds with how I remember you."

She looked up at him, once again, looking confused. He also noticed, with some satisfaction, the blush that bloomed across her face.

She tilted her head to the side and asked, "You remembered me?"

It wasn't like the questions that other girls asked about to fish for complements, hers was a genuine confusion that he had taken notice of her at all.

This time, he could feel the blush on his face. Taking Barbara's advice and looking at her mouth, he explained "I, uh, thought if I talked to you I would get embarrassingly tongue-tied, so I didn't."

"Oh," she replied, unconsciously licking her lips, her blush growing deeper. It was at that moment that he realised the had both been leaning over the counter and their faces were inches apart. It finally clicked, why Babs had winked. Always one for reckless abandon, he closed the distance between them.

_Promise me_  
_You'll always be_  
_Happy by my side_  
_I promise to_  
_Sing to you_  
_When all the music dies_

The kiss was fairly short. He pulled back, noting the obvious disappointment on her face. He then quickly walked around the counter and, like he had wanted to do when he'd first seen her, he snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. Her hands tangled themselves in his hair as her lips moved with his. He nipped her bottom lip, surprising her, then ran his tongue along her lip, asking permission. Her lips parted and he deftly slid his tongue in her mouth. Their tongues battled for dominance as he pulled her closer to him, revelling in how she fit against him.

* * *

When they broke apart for air, she could feel her cheeks flush at the intensity of the kiss. He then leaned down, she thought for another kiss, but he instead brought his lips to her ears and whispered seductively, "I quite like the lack of propriety."

She giggled (yes, evidently that was possible for her) and playfully (also new for her) smacked his shoulder before pulling him into another kiss.

* * *

_And marry me_  
_Today and everyday_  
_Marry me_  
_If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe_  
_Say you will_  
_Mm-hmm_  
_Say you will_  
_Marry me_  
_Mm-hmm_

Years later, she smiled at the memory as she mailed out the wedding invitations to their friends.

* * *

**What do you think? Sorry I didn't do a proposal, I wanted to but I couldn't think of how to do it right. Hope you all enjoyed this story! Drop me a review if you have the chance!**

**Thanks!**

**~RR**


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